Decorative stainless steel rolled sheet with embossed pattern and method of manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a decorative stainless steel rolled sheet having an embossed pattern, suitable for use as a surface finish or an interior surface finish of products, wherein a thin stainless steel sheet subjected to surface treatment including nanoceramic coating or PVD ionic coating resulting in various colors and a release sheet alone or with a nonwoven fabric layer bonded thereto by means of a hot melt adhesive layer are embossed together and bonded to each other with the embossed pattern, thus exhibiting superior bonding strength, heat resistance, fire resistance, scratch resistance, shape stability, flexibility and wrinkling resistance, thereby satisfying physical chemical properties required of a decorative sheet, and having an aesthetic appearance, constructability, and economic efficiency. A method of manufacturing such a decorative stainless steel rolled sheet is also provided, in which the rolled sheet can be mass produced at low cost and uniform quality using a continuous process.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a decorative stainless steel rolledsheet having an embossed pattern and a method of manufacturing the same.More particularly, the present invention relates to a decorativestainless steel rolled sheet having an embossed pattern, which comprisesa continuous thin stainless steel sheet subjected to surface treatmentsuch as nanoceramic coating or PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) ioniccoating and a release sheet alone or with a nonwoven fabric layer bondedto one side of the thin stainless steel sheet by means of a hot meltadhesive layer, which are embossed together, and to a method ofmanufacturing the same.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally decorative sheets have been utilized as surface finishes for avariety of products that protect the products and impart the outerappearance thereof with various colors, patterns and textures.

For example, decorative sheets are widely employed as interior surfacefinishes in buildings, elevators, automobiles, ships and airplanes, oras surface finishes for a variety of pieces of furniture or electronicproducts.

Depending on the end use, the types of decorative sheets are the overlaytype, wrapping type, membrane type, and edge type. Overlay typedecorative sheets are generally used on the flat top of furniture, MDF(Medium Density Fiberboard) or particle board, and wrapping typedecorative sheets are used on portions requiring curved processing suchas a narrow chassis or molding.

Also, membrane type decorative sheets are applied to typical furniturehaving many curved portions or doors, and edge type decorative sheetsare applied to corners of furniture or tables or lateral sides of uppersheets thereof. Recently, iron plate type decorative sheets are appliedon the outer surfaces of electronic products or other iron plates.

Because conventional decorative sheets are mainly made of a syntheticresin, surface strength and wear resistance are low which undesirablyleads to scratching. Also, even when such conventional decorative sheetsare subjected to fire-proofing surface treatment, they have low heatresistance and fire resistance and have a weak resistance to fire.

In order to impart decorative sheets with a metal texture, attempts toattach a metal foil to the bottom or top of a base sheet are being madethese days.

Although methods of attaching a metal foil may impart the decorativesheet with a metal texture, they are problematic because it is difficultto form various designs including letters or figures on the metal foilprovided in the form of a thin film, and also because flexibility maydecrease and wrinkling may occur, making it difficult to manufacture thedecorative sheet into a rolled sheet and to package and handle it.

Furthermore, when the decorative sheet is attached to a target, it maycome off due to not being very flexible and wrinkling.

In particular, it is difficult to apply such a decorative sheet torecessed portions, protruding portions and curved portions of the targetbecause it is not very flexible and because of wrinkling.

Korean Patent No. 0896623 discloses a metal textured decorative sheetand a method of manufacturing the same. Specifically, in the metaltextured decorative sheet comprising a base sheet, a metal texture layerformed on the base sheet, a printing layer formed on the metal texturelayer, and a transparent film formed on the printing layer, the metaltexture layer which includes letters or figures is formed by printingmetal ink containing metal particles on the base sheet, the metal inkcomprising a dispersion of metal particles having a size of 1˜100 nm, abinder, a solvent and a dispersant. As such, the metal ink may comprise,based on the total weight of the metal ink, 5.0˜50.0 parts by weight ofthe metal particles, 10.0˜60.0 parts by weight of the binder, 10.0˜40.0parts by weight of the solvent, and 0.05˜5.0 parts by weight of thedispersant, in which the dispersant may be an alkylamine having a C4˜12alkyl group, an amide carboxylate, an aminocarboxylate or sodiumcitrate. Furthermore, the method of manufacturing the metal textureddecorative sheet includes forming the metal texture layer on the basesheet thus obtaining a semi-finished product, layering the transparentfilm having the printing layer on the semi-finished product and thenpassing the semi-finished product through an emboss roll so as to be hotpressed thus manufacturing a desired sheet, in which the metal texturelayer includes letters or figures formed by printing metal inkcontaining metal particles on the base sheet, the metal ink comprising adispersion of metal particles having a size of 1˜100 nm, a binder, asolvent and a dispersant. As such, the metal ink may comprise, based onthe total weight of the metal ink, 5.0˜50.0 parts by weight of the metalparticles, 10.0˜60.0 parts by weight of the binder, 10.0˜40.0 parts byweight of the solvent, and 0.05˜5.0 parts by weight of the dispersant,in which the dispersant may be an alkylamine having a C4˜12 alkyl group,an amide carboxylate, an aminocarboxylate or sodium citrate.

The decorative sheet thus manufactured is advantageous because the metaltexture layer is formed by printing the metal ink, thus embodyingdesigns of various metal textures and ensuring flexibility, compared toa metal texture layer in metal foil form. However, this decorative sheetis disadvantageous because the transparent film which constitutes theuppermost part of the decorative sheet is made of a synthetic resin, andthus wear resistance becomes poor, and also because of low resistance toheat and fire, and thus the decorative sheet is weak to fire and maycontaminate the environment when it is disposed of.

Moreover, such a decorative sheet is manufactured using a unit forproducing the semi-finished product including the metal texture layer byprinting the metal ink containing metal particles uniformly dispersedtherein on the base sheet, a unit for forming the printing layer on thetransparent film, and a unit for layering the transparent film on thesemi-finished product to produce a desired sheet, undesirably making itdifficult to control the manufacturing process and causing problems suchas increased manufacturing cost and lowered productivity.

Also, because the metal particles contained in the metal ink cause themetal texture to be exhibited, inherent properties and texture of onlythe metal cannot naturally manifest themselves, undesirably degradingproduct value.

The present inventors carried out earnest work to solve the problemsencountered in the related art and thus have discovered that a thinstainless steel sheet in which various surface processing treatments maybe performed and which is lightweight and has superior corrosionresistance, wear resistance, heat resistance, fire resistance,processability and durability is preferably used as the decorative metalsheet.

However, typical thin stainless steel sheets, having a monotonous coldmetal texture and being glossy, are unsuitable for use as a decorativesurface finish.

Hence, provided as the decorative metal sheet is a thin stainless steelsheet subjected to matte surface treatment and having various colors anda thickness of about 0.05˜0.15 mm.

Generally, a thin stainless steel sheet having a thickness of about0.8˜1.5 mm which was mainly subjected to matte surface treatment througha physical process using hairline brush, bead blast, vibration brush andso on is useful. However, in the case where a thin stainless steel sheethaving a thickness of about 0.05˜0.15 mm suitable for use as thedecorative metal sheet is subjected to matte surface treatment using theabove physical process, its surface may be undesirably damaged.

Also, when the surface of the thin stainless steel sheet which is glossyis subjected to inorganic coating using a nanoceramic (SiO₂, SnO₂, etc.)or ionic coating with titanium (Ti), chromium (Cr), zirconium (Zr) orthe like using PVD, the surface roughness thereof may be reduced and avariety of colors may be obtained.

Furthermore, nanoceramic coating is performed by coating a nano materialhaving a size of 10˜20 nm using a spraying process and thus results inlower manufacturing cost than when using PVD, and also enables the useof an organic dye or a nano inorganic dye thus obtaining a wider varietyof colors.

On the other hand, when ionic coating is performed using PVD, a materialsuch as Ti, Cr, Zr or the like evaporates and its minute particles areapplied on the surface of the stainless steel sheet in a high vacuum,thus achieving superior quality but undesirably causing highermanufacturing cost, compared to a wet process. The color thereof may begold, bronze, black, etc., depending on the kind of gas injected whencoating.

The nanoceramic coating which results in a coating thickness of about 20μm or less or the PVD inorganic coating which results in a coatingthickness of about 0.5˜1.0 μm causes almost no damage to the coatinglayer upon post-processing such as bending or embossing, thus exhibitinga surface roughness and colors required of surface finishes of a varietyof products.

According to tests by the present inventors, although the thin stainlesssteel sheet having a thickness of about 0.05˜0.15 mm and subjected tonanoceramic coating or PVD ionic coating has no cushioning and thus maybe processed to have an embossed pattern using an emboss roll composedof a positive pattern roll and a negative pattern roll correspondingthereto, it is difficult to exhibit an elaborate fine clear pattern, andalso the use of the emboss roll composed of the positive pattern rolland the negative pattern roll makes the processing difficult, increasesthe manufacturing cost, and incurs a great amount of wear, undesirablyresulting in a short service life.

Furthermore, even when the above thin stainless steel sheet is embossedto form the embossed pattern, it is poor in terms of scratch resistance,shape stability, flexibility and wrinkling resistance, and a smooth cutsurface cannot be obtained when it is cut and it is difficult topackage, handle and construct.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Leading to the present invention, intensive and thorough research intomanufacturing of a decorative sheet from a thin stainless steel sheethaving a thickness of about 0.05˜0.15 mm and subjected to nanoceramiccoating or PVD ionic coating resulted in the finding that a smooth rollis used, which may impart scratch resistance, shape stability,flexibility, wrinkling resistance and cushioning to the thin stainlesssteel sheet and also which may facilitate desired processing, may reducethe manufacturing cost and may generate a small amount of wear and thusmay have a long service life, so that an embossed pattern which is moreelaborate, finer and clearer than is the result of using a conventionalnegative pattern roll may be formed, and the resulting sheet may bewidely utilized as an overlay type, wrapping type, membrane type or edgetype surface finish without limitation of the surface state of varioustargets, thus satisfying not only physical and chemical propertiesrequired of a decorative sheet but also the expected aestheticappearance, constructability and economic efficiency.

Accordingly, the present invention is intended to provide a decorativestainless steel rolled sheet having an embossed pattern, which comprisesa thin stainless steel sheet subjected to surface treatment such asnanoceramic coating or PVD ionic coating and a release sheet alone or anonwoven fabric layer and a release sheet in a sequence bonded to oneside of the thin stainless steel sheet by means of a hot melt adhesivelayer, which are embossed together and bonded to each other with theembossed pattern, thus exhibiting superior scratch resistance, shapestability, flexibility and wrinkling resistance, and also to provide amethod of manufacturing the same.

An aspect of the present invention provides a decorative stainless steelrolled sheet having an embossed pattern, comprising a thin stainlesssteel sheet having a thickness of 0.05˜0.15 mm and subjected to surfacetreatment including nanoceramic coating or PVD ionic coating, and arelease sheet bonded to one side of the thin stainless steel sheet bymeans of a hot melt adhesive layer, wherein the thin stainless steelsheet, the hot melt adhesive layer and the release sheet are embossedtogether and bonded to each other with the embossed pattern.

In this aspect, a nonwoven fabric layer may be further bonded betweenthe hot melt adhesive layer and the release sheet.

In this aspect, the hot melt adhesive layer may comprise a moisturehardening type hot melt adhesive.

In this aspect, the hot melt adhesive layer may have a thickness of0.05˜0.12 mm.

In this aspect, the release sheet may comprise polyethylene orpolypropylene film having a thickness of 0.05˜0.10 mm.

In this aspect, the embossed pattern may have a depth of 50˜200 μm.

In this aspect, the nonwoven fabric layer may have a thickness of0.05˜0.10 mm.

In this aspect, a double-sided adhesive sheet having release paper onone side thereof may be bonded to the hardened hot melt adhesive layer,with the release sheet having been removed.

In this aspect, an additional adhesive layer may be formed on thehardened hot melt adhesive layer and a sheet member comprising analuminum sheet or a plating steel sheet having a thickness of 0.2˜1.2 mmmay be bonded onto the additional adhesive layer, with the release sheethaving been removed.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a method ofmanufacturing a decorative stainless steel rolled sheet having anembossed pattern, comprising unwinding a thin stainless steel sheethaving a thickness of 0.05˜0.15 mm and subjected to surface treatmentincluding nanoceramic coating or PVD ionic coating from a thin stainlesssteel sheet take-up roll and feeding it between first feed rolls,applying a hot melt adhesive on one side of the thin stainless steelsheet, which moves by means of the first feed rolls, using an adhesivefeed roll and the first feed rolls, thus forming a hot melt adhesivelayer on one side of the thin stainless steel sheet, unwinding a releasesheet having a thickness of 0.05˜0.10 mm and made of a polyethylene orpolypropylene film from a release sheet take-up roll and feeding itbetween second feed rolls so that it is bonded onto the hot meltadhesive layer formed on one side of the thin stainless steel sheet,embossing the thin stainless steel sheet and the release sheet bondedthereto by means of the hot melt adhesive layer using an emboss rollcomposed of a positive pattern roll and a smooth roll, thus forming theembossed pattern, and winding the resulting product in rolled sheet formon a take-up roll.

In this aspect, the method may further comprise bonding a nonwovenfabric layer having a thickness of 0.05˜0.10 mm on the hot melt adhesivelayer formed on one side of the thin stainless steel sheet.

In this aspect, the hot melt adhesive layer may be formed to have athickness of 0.05˜0.12 mm.

In this aspect, the embossed pattern may be formed to have a depth of50˜200 μm.

In this aspect, the method may further comprise bonding a double-sidedadhesive sheet having release paper on one side thereof to the hardenedhot melt adhesive layer, after the release sheet has been removed.

In this aspect, the method may further comprise forming an additionaladhesive layer on the hardened hot melt adhesive layer and bonding asheet member comprising an aluminum sheet or a plating steel sheethaving a thickness of 0.2˜1.2 mm onto the additional adhesive layer,after the release sheet has been removed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the present invention will be moreclearly understood from the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a rolled sheetaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a rolled sheetaccording to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a rolled sheetaccording to a further embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a process of manufacturing a rolledsheet according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a process of manufacturing a rolledsheet according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a process of manufacturing a rolledsheet according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a process of manufacturing a rolledsheet according to still a further embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a detailed description will be given of the presentinvention with reference to the appended drawings.

According to the present invention, a decorative thin stainless steelrolled sheet having an embossed pattern is configured such that, asillustrated in FIG. 1, a release sheet 14 or a nonwoven fabric layer 16and a release sheet 14 in a sequence are bonded to the back side of athin stainless steel sheet 10 subjected to surface treatment such asnanoceramic coating or PVD ionic coating by means of a hot melt adhesivelayer 12, in which all of the thin stainless steel sheet 10, the hotmelt adhesive layer 12 and the release sheet 14, or all of the thinstainless steel sheet 10, the hot melt adhesive layer 12, the nonwovenfabric layer 16 and the release sheet 14, are embossed together, wherebythe thin stainless steel sheet 10, the hot melt adhesive layer 12 andthe release sheet 14, or the thin stainless steel sheet 10, the hot meltadhesive layer 12, the nonwoven fabric layer 16 and the release sheet14, are bonded to each other with the embossed pattern 18.

In the present invention, the thin stainless steel sheet 10 may have athickness of about 0.05˜0.15 mm. If the thickness thereof is less than0.05 mm, such a thin sheet is difficult to produce and may be expensive.In contrast, if the thickness thereof exceeds 0.15 mm, the strength ofthe thin sheet may increase, making it difficult to perform embossingand making it impossible to obtain a fine clear pattern.

The hot melt adhesive layer 12 may have a thickness of about 0.05˜0.12mm. If the thickness thereof is less than 0.05 mm, adhesive force mayweaken and a cushioning effect which is applied to the thin stainlesssteel sheet 10 upon embossing may become poor. In contrast, if thethickness thereof exceeds 0.12 mm, the adhesive may flow out of the edgeof the rolled sheet when the thin stainless steel sheet 10 and therelease sheet 14 are bonded, undesirably degrading the quality of aproduct.

The nonwoven fabric layer 16 may have a thickness of about 0.05˜0.10 mm.If the thickness thereof is less than 0.05 mm, a cushioning effect whichis applied to the thin stainless steel sheet 10 upon embossing maybecome poor. In contrast, if the thickness thereof exceeds 0.10 mm, theadhesive of the hot melt adhesive layer 12 may be excessively absorbedby such a nonwoven fabric layer, undesirably weakening the adhesiveforce of the hot melt adhesive layer 12.

The release sheet 14 is a polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) filmhaving release performance and flexibility and may have a thickness ofabout 0.05˜0.10 mm depending on the depth of the embossed pattern 18,namely, whether the pattern is shallow or deep. If the thickness thereofis less than 0.05 mm, this sheet may be easily damaged upon embossing orhandling, making it impossible to effectively protect the product, andas well, a cushioning effect which is applied to the thin stainlesssteel sheet 10 upon embossing may become poor. In contrast, if thethickness thereof exceeds 0.10 mm, there are no advantageous effects interms of cost.

The depth of the embossed pattern 18 may be set to about 50˜200 μm. Ifthe depth thereof is less than 50 μm, a clear pattern cannot beobtained. In contrast, if the depth thereof exceeds 200 μm, the thinstainless steel sheet 10 may crack or be deformed.

In the present invention, when the thin stainless steel sheet 10 and therelease sheet 14 or the nonwoven fabric layer 16 and the release sheet14 bonded to the back side of the thin stainless steel sheet 10 by meansof the hot melt adhesive layer 12 are embossed, it is preferable thatthe surface of the thin stainless steel sheet 10 is pressed to form theembossed pattern 18 before completely hardening the adhesive of the hotmelt adhesive layer 12. The reason is that a cushioning effect requiredto perform embossing may be sufficiently provided by the hot meltadhesive layer 12 and the release sheet 14 or the nonwoven fabric layer16 and the release sheet 14 before the bonded portion between the thinstainless steel sheet 10 and the hot melt adhesive layer 12, thenonwoven fabric layer 16 into which the adhesive of the hot meltadhesive layer 12 permeates, and the bonded portion between the nonwovenfabric layer 16 and the release sheet 14 have completely hardened, sothat the clear embossed pattern 18 may be obtained with embossing beingcarried out just one time.

The hot melt adhesive layer 12 is preferably made of a moisturehardening type hot melt adhesive, which is hardened by crosslinkingisocyanate which persists in the adhesive even after cooling withmoisture in the atmosphere or in the subject thus increasing themolecular weight resulting in high heat resistance and also which haslower initial adhesive force to the subject before crosslinking betweenisocyanate and moisture, compared to typical hot melt adhesives. This isbecause, when the moisture hardening type hot melt adhesive is used toadhere the nonwoven fabric layer 16 and the release sheet 14 to the backside of the thin stainless steel sheet 10, the initial adhesive force islower than that of a general hot melt adhesive but a cushioning effectrequired to perform embossing, namely, elastic resilience, may increase,thus enabling a clearer embossed pattern to be formed at once.Furthermore, because hardening is carried out by the crosslinkingbetween moisture in the air present in the nonwoven fabric layer 16 andthe isocyanate of the moisture hardening type hot melt adhesive whichpermeates into the nonwoven fabric layer 16, the thin stainless steelsheet 10 and the nonwoven fabric layer 16 may be more securely bonded toeach other, resulting in a decorative stainless steel rolled sheethaving superior scratch resistance, shape stability, flexibility andcushioning performance, all of which were difficult to obtain when usingonly the thin stainless steel sheet 10.

In the present invention, when the nonwoven fabric layer 16 into whichthe hot melt adhesive permeates is used, less hot melt adhesive may beused compared to when a hot melt adhesive is simply applied on the thinstainless steel sheet 10, and as well, the adhesive may be uniformlydistributed on the stainless steel sheet 10, thus reducing themanufacturing cost and enhancing the bonding strength.

The stainless steel rolled sheet having an embossed pattern according tothe present invention is attached to a target using an adhesive afterthe release sheet 14 has been removed therefrom. In order to attach thisrolled sheet to the target without the use of an adhesive, asillustrated in FIG. 2, a double-sided adhesive sheet 42 having releasepaper 41 formed on only one side thereof may be bonded to the hot meltadhesive layer 12, with the release sheet 14 having been removed.

In addition, in order to use the stainless steel rolled sheet having anembossed pattern according to the present invention as an interiorsurface finish that must have higher fire resistance and durability, asillustrated in FIG. 3, an additional adhesive layer 44 may be formed onthe hardened hot melt adhesive layer 12 and a sheet member 46 comprisingan aluminum sheet or a plating steel sheet having a thickness of about0.2˜1.2 mm may be bonded to the additional adhesive layer 44, with therelease sheet 14 having been removed.

If the thickness of the sheet member 46 is less than 0.2 mm, fireresistance and durability may become insufficient. In contrast, if thethickness thereof exceeds 1.2 mm, flexibility may become poor.

In the decorative stainless steel rolled sheet having an embossedpattern according to the present invention, when the embossed pattern 18is formed by embossing the surface of the thin stainless steel sheet 10,the contact surfaces of all of the thin stainless steel sheet 10, thehot melt adhesive layer 12, the nonwoven fabric layer 16 and the releasesheet 14 that will be removed upon use may be bonded to each other withthe embossed pattern, thus enlarging their bonding area to therebygreatly enhance bonding strength, so that they do not peel away fromeach other due to thermal shrinkage or expansion or such external forcesas a bending load, and so that their surface strength may be enhanced.Accordingly, superior heat resistance, fire resistance, scratchresistance, shape stability flexibility and wrinkling resistance may beobtained, such that not only physical and chemical properties requiredof a decorative sheet but also the aesthetic appearance,constructability and economic efficiency thereof may becomesatisfactory.

A method of manufacturing the decorative stainless steel rolled sheetaccording to the present invention is described below by means of thefollowing examples.

Example 1

As illustrated in FIG. 4, a decorative stainless steel rolled sheethaving an embossed pattern according to the present invention wasmanufactured by unwinding a thin stainless steel sheet 10 having athickness of 0.05˜0.15 mm and subjected to surface treatment such asnanoceramic coating or PVD ionic coating from a thin stainless steelsheet take-up roll 20 and feeding it between first feed rolls 22,applying a hot melt adhesive on one side of the thin stainless steelsheet 10, which moves by means of the first feed rolls 22, using anadhesive feed roll 24 and the first feed rolls 22, thus forming a hotmelt adhesive layer 12 on one side of the thin stainless steel sheet 10,unwinding a release sheet 14 having a thickness of 0.05˜0.10 mm and madeof a PE or PP film from a release sheet take-up roll 26 and feeding itbetween second feed rolls 28 so that it is bonded onto the hot meltadhesive layer 12 formed on one side of the thin stainless steel sheet10, embossing the thin stainless steel sheet 10 and the release sheet14, bonded thereto by means of the hot melt adhesive layer 12 using anemboss roll 34 composed of a positive pattern roll 30 and a smooth roll32 thus imparting an embossed pattern 18, and winding the resultingproduct in rolled sheet form on a take-up roll 36.

As such, the thickness of the hot melt adhesive layer 12 was 0.05˜0.12mm and the depth of the embossed pattern 18 was 50˜200 μm, and theembossing was performed before the hot melt adhesive layer 12 hadcompletely hardened.

Example 2

As illustrated in FIG. 5, a decorative stainless steel rolled sheethaving an embossed pattern was manufactured in the same manner as inExample 1, with the exception that a nonwoven fabric layer 16 having athickness of 0.05˜0.10 mm was unwound from a nonwoven fabric take-uproll 38 and fed between third feed rolls 40 so that it was bonded ontothe hot melt adhesive layer 12 formed on one side of the thin stainlesssteel sheet 10 and then a release sheet 14 was bonded onto the nonwovenfabric layer 16 using the adhesive flowing out of the nonwoven fabriclayer 16.

The decorative stainless steel rolled sheet having an embossed patternmanufactured in Example 1, 2 is advantageous because it has surfaceroughness and various colors required of surface finishes of a varietyof products thanks to the surface treatment such as nanoceramic coatingor PVD ionic coating. Also, the decorative stainless steel rolled sheet,which results from forming the hot melt adhesive layer 12 on one side ofthe thin stainless steel sheet 10 which is continuously fed, bonding therelease sheet 14 which is continuously fed or the nonwoven fabric layer16 and the release sheet in a sequence which are continuously fed to theadhesive layer, performing embossing thus forming the embossed pattern18, and winding the resulting product in rolled sheet form, can be massproduced at lower cost and uniform quality.

Also the decorative stainless steel rolled sheet according to thepresent invention can satisfy not only physical and chemical propertiesrequired of surface finishes of a variety of products but also issatisfactory with respect to aesthetic appearance, constructability andeconomic efficiency.

Also, the decorative stainless steel rolled sheet according to thepresent invention, which is used in a manner of attaching it to a targetusing an adhesive after the release sheet 14 has been removed therefrom,may be attached to a target without the use of an adhesive depending onthe environment and conditions of use. Specifically, as illustrated inFIG. 6, such a rolled sheet may be manufactured by bonding adouble-sided adhesive sheet 42 having release paper 41 formed on oneside thereof to the hardened hot melt adhesive layer 12, after therelease sheet 14 has been removed from the rolled sheet of Example 1, 2.

In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 7, in order to use the rolled sheetaccording to the present invention as an interior surface finishrequiring superior fire resistance and durability, such a rolled sheetmay be manufactured by forming an additional adhesive layer 44 on thehardened hot melt adhesive layer 12, attaching a sheet member 46composed of an Al sheet or a plating steel sheet having a thickness of0.2˜1.2 mm to the additional adhesive layer 44, and winding theresulting product, after the release sheet 14 has been removed from therolled sheet of Example 1, 2.

As described hereinbefore, the present invention provides a decorativestainless steel rolled sheet having an embossed pattern and a method ofmanufacturing the same. According to the present invention, thedecorative stainless steel rolled sheet having an embossed pattern isadvantageous because a thin stainless steel sheet having a thickness of0.05˜0.15 mm and subjected to surface treatment such as nanoceramiccoating or PVD ionic coating resulting in various colors and a releasesheet bonded to one side of the thin stainless steel sheet by means of ahot melt adhesive layer are embossed together and thus bonded to eachother with the embossed pattern, and thereby can manifest high bondingstrength and do not peel away from each other due to thermal shrinkageor expansion or such external forces as a bending load and also can haveenhanced surface strength, so that superior heat resistance, fireresistance, scratch resistance, shape stability, flexibility andwrinkling resistance can be obtained, thus satisfying not only physicaland chemical properties required of a decorative sheet but also theexpected aesthetic appearance, constructability and economic efficiency.

According to the present invention, the method of manufacturing thedecorative stainless steel rolled sheet is advantageous because thedecorative rolled sheet can be mass produced at low cost and uniformquality using a continuous process.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendisclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions arepossible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventionas disclosed in the accompanying claims.

1. A decorative stainless steel rolled sheet having an embossed pattern, comprising a thin stainless steel sheet having a thickness of 0.05˜0.15 mm and subjected to surface treatment including nanoceramic coating or PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) ionic coating, and a release sheet bonded to one side of the thin stainless steel sheet by means of a hot melt adhesive layer, wherein the thin stainless steel sheet, the hot melt adhesive layer and the release sheet are embossed together and bonded to each other with the embossed pattern.
 2. The decorative stainless steel rolled sheet as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a nonwoven fabric layer bonded between the hot melt adhesive layer and the release sheet.
 3. The decorative stainless steel rolled sheet as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hot melt adhesive layer comprises a moisture hardening type hot melt adhesive.
 4. The decorative stainless steel rolled sheet as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hot melt adhesive layer has a thickness of 0.05˜0.12 mm.
 5. The decorative stainless steel rolled sheet as set forth in claim 1, wherein the release sheet comprises a polyethylene or polypropylene film having a thickness of 0.05˜0.10 mm.
 6. The decorative stainless steel rolled sheet as set forth in claim 1, wherein the embossed pattern has a depth of 50˜200 μm.
 7. The decorative stainless steel rolled sheet as set forth in claim 2, wherein the nonwoven fabric layer has a thickness of 0.05˜0.10 mm.
 8. The decorative stainless steel rolled sheet as set forth in claim 1, wherein a double-sided adhesive sheet having release paper on one side thereof is bonded to the hardened hot melt adhesive layer, with the release sheet having been removed.
 9. The decorative stainless steel rolled sheet as set forth in claim 1, wherein an additional adhesive layer is formed on the hardened hot melt adhesive layer and a sheet member comprising an aluminum sheet or a plating steel sheet having a thickness of 0.2˜1.2 mm is bonded onto the additional adhesive layer, with the release sheet having been removed.
 10. A method of manufacturing a decorative stainless steel rolled sheet having an embossed pattern, comprising: unwinding a thin stainless steel sheet having a thickness of 0.05˜0.15 mm and subjected to surface treatment including nanoceramic coating or PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) ionic coating from a thin stainless steel sheet take-up roll and feeding it between first feed rolls; applying a hot melt adhesive on one side of the thin stainless steel sheet, which moves by means of the first feed rolls, using an adhesive feed roll and the first feed rolls, thus forming a hot melt adhesive layer on one side of the thin stainless steel sheet; unwinding a release sheet having a thickness of 0.05˜0.10 mm and made of a polyethylene or polypropylene film from a release sheet take-up roll and feeding it between second feed rolls so that it is bonded onto the hot melt adhesive layer formed on one side of the thin stainless steel sheet; embossing the thin stainless steel sheet and the release sheet bonded thereto by means of the hot melt adhesive layer using an emboss roll composed of a positive pattern roll and a smooth roll, thus forming the embossed pattern; and winding a resulting product in rolled sheet form on a take-up roll.
 11. The method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising bonding a nonwoven fabric layer having a thickness of 0.05˜0.10 mm onto the hot melt adhesive layer formed on one side of the thin stainless steel sheet.
 12. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the hot melt adhesive layer is formed to have a thickness of 0.05˜0.12 mm.
 13. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the embossed pattern is formed to have a depth of 50˜200 μm.
 14. The method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising bonding a double-sided adhesive sheet having release paper on one side thereof to the hardened hot melt adhesive layer, after the release sheet has been removed.
 15. The method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising forming an additional adhesive layer on the hardened hot melt adhesive layer and bonding a sheet member comprising an aluminum sheet or a plating steel sheet having a thickness of 0.2˜1.2 mm onto the additional adhesive layer, after the release sheet has been removed. 